The Angry Young Man
by Burnt Roses
Summary: James and Lily hit a turning point in their lives that shows both of them how much they love each other. Read and Review please ]


James punched the stone wall again and again. "Idiot! Idiot, idiot, idiot!" with each punch another word was flung into the air.

"Whoa! Mate what's wrong?" Sirius Black, James's best friend asked him as he turned into the Entrance Hall. THough Sirius might never admit he had ever held a serious thought, except maybe to Remus, he worried about James.

James had gone to America over the summer, so no one had seen him until three days from September first. He was more mature, more serious, and smarter. Though Lily would never own up to it, Sirius had caught her staring at him occasionally.

"I give UP!" James yelled at his friend. Turning to the wall he yelled, "I will NEVER be as _perfect_ as Amos Diggory or Michael Lamton!"

James had just named two of their fellow seventh years. Amos, a Hufflepuff, was a prefect and quidditch captain of the Hufflepuff house team. He played Seeker. Michael, aRavenclaw,was also aprefect and quidditch captain of the Ravenclaw house team. Sirius grimly noticed a pattern and wondered when she'd jump to Head Boy instead of prefect, Head Boy seemed a tad better.

"What exactly are you giving up on?" Sirius asked even though he know exactly what, or more accurately who, James had given up on.

"Lily Evans! I give up! I hope you're happy!" he yelled shaking his fist at the wall.

"What caused this decision?" Sirius asked watching slightly frightened as his usually easy going friend flipped a lid. Then as if someone had thrown a brick straight at his stomach Sirius realized exactly what had caused this decision.

Michael Lamton and Lily Evans stumbled out of a broom closet. Lily attempting vainly to fix her hair.

James let out all his hair in an audible "whoosh" like a bludger had hurtled into his stomach.

"Oh" Sirius said.

"Not even sparing a glance for Michael Lamton, James locked eyes with Lily. Then he turned and cloak billowing behind him he exited the Entrance Hall up the north stairs. Sirius quickly followed his friend up the stairs.

Lily had always considered herself as a spectacular mind-reader. But when James had stood there with blood running from his knuckles and looked into her startlingly green eyes with his unreadable hazel ones she couldn't see a thing. This fact scared her immensely. James had never been hard to read before.

"Lily? Lily hello," Michael Lamton was calling her name.

But James usually gave her boyfriends the "up and down" sizing them up.

"What, Mike?" Lily asked exasperatedly. She was trying to think.

"Look okay. If you were using me to make him jealous then lets be done, alright?" Michael told her.

"Make _him_ jealous?" Lily asked like he was insane, because apparently he was. "What makes you think _that_ was my motive?"

"I don't know. Maybe the way ever since you saw him you've been ignoring him. Maybe the way you look at him," Micheal said.

"Thats absurd," Lily told him.

"Whatever Lils. We're done. Okay? Just done," Micheal said turning towards the Ravenclaw common room.

"But..." Lily didn't bother knowing that he would not believe her even if she tried. Lily turned and followed James and Sirius up the north stairs only headed to a different location, Gryffindor tower.

"Password," the fat lady asked her as she walked in front of her picture.

"Watercress Weed," Lily said dully.

"Dear. What is wrong with that poor Potter boy?" the fat lady asked Lily.

Suddenly the fat ladies picture was flung open and a man's voice called over his shoulder, "Thanks Beccy!"

James appeared from behind the painting. As he closed the portal into the Gryffindor common room he grinned his debonaire grin up at the fat lady, "Hello Angelica. How are you?" he asked as bowed to her. Lily was surprised to find out that he was being sincere.

"Quite splendid, thank you dear," the fat lady, Angelica apparently, said blushing faintly. Still grinning as he used to he caught sight of Lily watching him and his careless manner vanished.

"Hello James," Lily said.

James gave her the "up down" look and walked past her. Fury seemed to be emanating off him like a heat.

"What did you _do_? Angelica asked in awe. "He's _so_ easygoing."

"James?" Lily asked Angelica. "He's not easygoing."

Angelica looked at her pityingly and swung forward so that Lily could procede into the common room.

Rebecca, or Beccy, was sitting with her boyfriend, Sirius Black. The two were perfect for each other. Both had one rule for dating. "Two Weeks, Tops."

"What did I do?" Lily asked plopping herself down on the couch next to Beccy.

"Well, you went out with another boy," Beccy told her best friend.

"I couldn't read him at all," Lily complained.

"He learned legillemens (a/n. sorry if i spelled that wrong) over the summer from some hedgewitch over the summer," Sirius explained.

"He's stronger now too. Did you see him at try-outs for the house team. The quaffle was going at least ninety miles an hour,"Lilysaid off-handedly.

"He's stronger magically, too. He doesn't need his wand to do magic anymore. But he didn't want to show off." Sirius mentioned to his two friends.

"He's also more mature, smarter and hotter. Why are we discussing his pros instead of his cons for once?" Beccy asked clearly rather bored with this conversation.

"I don't know," Lily said getting up she left the gryffindor tower.

When Lily reached the tapestry that guarded the heads room the threads that made up the old man began to squirm. He smiled. "Hello deary."

"Hi,"

"Password," he asked still smiling down at her.

"Beetebug," Lily said and than when the elder nodded the threads pulled apart revealing a wooden door. Lily took out her key and entered the heads dorm. The tapestry rewove itself behind her as she closed the door.

James had been sitting on the couch, but when Lily walked in he got up and walked over to a door marked in bold letter "JAMES."

Lily sighed sadly and entered her room through a door marked in thin curving letters "Lily."

She dropped her bag on her bed and and looked around her room. Suddenly Lily was mad. James was supposed to love her _forever_. He said he would love her forever. He was a liar and Lily was angry.

James was sitting on his bed staring at one of his walls. The white coloring left his mind to wander and imagine anything he wanted. And for once it wasn't Lily.

Then suddenly someone rapped on his door. "What does she want?" James thought to himself. He hauled himself up off his bed and dragged his fingers through his already messy hair. When he opened his door there was Lily mad as a hornet.

"What," he asked already sounding bored.

"You lied to me! You said you would love me forever! Ignoring me is the weirdest way to show affection You've yet to use!" Lily was screaming at him. Her brilliant green eyes were sparking.

"Well you know what Lily? A man can only take so much abuse." James told her flatly.

"That's not fair you shouldn't have to love someone if they don't love you back!" Lily yelled at him tears running down her cheek. She could _feel_ her heart breaking in two pieces. How could she not have realized she loved James until he had given up.

"Welcome to my world," James told her his voice angry andthe air around him crackling with fury. He slammed the door shut in her face.

Lily ran across their shared space and slammed her own door shut and cried over James. When she had no tears left she started to write.

_Dear James,_

_I know you may no longer love me..._

The next morning when James awoke there was an envelope on his desk. He stared at it and then making a decision he got out of his bed clad only in boxers with snitches and quaffles on them and grabbed it. He sat back down on his bed and slitting the envelope open he began to read.

As he reached the end he didn't need the:

_I will always love you,_

_Lily_

to know what the point of the letter was. The tears that James had managed to keep pooled in his hazel eyes spilled over. Here was his Lily flower chuckeing her precious pride and groveling for a _chance_ to win his love back. James stood up and without even putting on more clothes on he walked into theis common space.

Lily was asleep on the couch. She was dressed in a pair of "boxer" shorts and an oversized tee shirt. She stirred. James went over and kissed her forehead.

"Good morning, love. It's a Saturday, sleep some more."

Lily smiled in her sleep and rolling over she nestled into the couch and fell back asleep.


End file.
